Northern New Mexico Vacation Home

July 29, 2011 By

Pendaries in the Pines – Park Model & Lot

Watch the YouTube Video below to see what a great deal you can get on a furnished vacation home, oversized lot, and storage shed.  Priced at $89,000.

Pendaries RV Resort, pronounced (Pan-da-ray), invites you to come experience a beautiful tree covered paradise. The  Village of Pendaries is surrounded by ponderosa pines, fir and aspen, and adjoins the expansive Sierra Vista Ranch and Santa Fe National Forest at Rociada, NM, just 25 miles north of Las Vegas, NM.  The resort is 7500 feet altitude where summer nights are always cool. Area amenities include the Pendaries Golf Course, fishing, lakes, missions, driving tours of the natural scenery in northeastern New Mexico. Taos is just 50 minutes, Santa Fe is only 90 minutes and historic Las Vegas is just a 25 minute drive. Sipapu and Angel Fire are all easy drives for a day of shopping, skiing, hiking, visiting museums or specialty dining.

The Pendaries Village Cafe and Lodge serves great food (located at the golf course). Facilities include a Welcome Center and country store, computer connections, spotless bathhouse and restrooms, Clubhouse with activities all season, Laundry facilities, hiking trails, shuffleboard, volleyball, horseshoes, games, and much more for your enjoyment.

 

Contact Gary Harmon, your Real Living Lifestyles agent, to get more information about this property.

Filed Under: General

Fix Up Your Carlsbad Home This Summer

July 23, 2011 By

Considering selling your Carlsbad property this summer? Now’s a good time to complete some summer maintenance to make sure your home is in tip-top shape. Even if you aren’t planning to sell your Carlsbad home, you should still add these chores to your list to help preserve your home’s value and help avoid major repairs later on.

Check the outside of your Carlsbad Property

Look for any damage caused by spring and winter’s weather. Check for those sagging or loose gutters. Over the fall and winter, leaves, dirt and debris may have accumulated in your gutters. Check your gutters for clogging and damage and schedule an appointment for cleaning. Check the condition of your stucco, clean or patch if necessary. Check the eaves and patio cover for dry rot. Promptly schedule repairs for those items you can’t do yourself.

Walk around your yard as if you were a first-time visitor. What impression does your Carlsbad real estate make? Loosen the soil around perennials, plant annuals or a vegetable garden. Prune shrubs and trees. Fertilize you lawn and remove weeds from the flowerbeds.

Don’t forget the backyard! Is it time to condition your deck? Be sure to hammer in any loose nails, or replace them with galvanized deck screws. Replace any broken boards or rails. Consider renting a power washer to clean dirt and mildew from the wood, and then apply an all-weather sealer or stain. Repair any broken fence boards and paint or seal them as needed.

Wash windows and screens.

Check your sprinklers on a regular basis.  Replace heads that are starting to stop up.  Adjust spay of heads as necessary.  Reset your timer. As it gets hotter, more time is needed to keep your lawn for burning.  

Take a Tour Inside Your Carlsbad Home

Start making a list of things to do in each room. Then go to work. Dust walls and ceilings to remove cobwebs and wash any grimy areas. Wash window curtains or remove drapes for dry cleaning. Deep clean rugs and carpets. Dust and polish wood or laminate floors. Make sure tile grout is clean.

One often-overlooked area is the fireplace. Be sure to sweep ashes carefully into a dustpan. Have the flue professionally cleaned every few years. Look around for clutter. Are there items you don’t use any longer? If you are planning on moving, what items will you not need? Consider having a garage sale and then either donate or trash the remaining items.

Make sure all exhaust fans and vents are clean and clear. Don’t forget to remove the lint buildup from the clothes dryer vent. Take strainers off the ends of all the lavatory faucets and clean them.

Clean fan blades using mild soapy water. Check the central air-conditioning unit for debris and obstructions; vacuum the main condenser coil on top of the unit. 

And lastly, don’t forget to replace batteries in smoke detectors and change air filters. A good time to change them is when you change your clock for daylight savings.

Although performing these summer chores may be dreaded task, they go a long way in maintaining and even enhancing the attractiveness and quality Carlsbad your home. With more buyers out and about, you must be sure your Carlsbad property is ready for its next new owner!

If you are considering placing your Carlsbad home for sale, contact Gary Harmon, you top Carlsbad Realtor.

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Filed Under: Carlsbad Homes Tagged With: , , ,

How to Avoid Mello-Roos

July 21, 2011 By

If you are looking for a San Diego North County home, you have probably come across the term “Mello-Roos.” You don’t know what it is, but you see it is a cost you will have to pay on many newer North County homes. The only way to avoid Mello-Roos is to buy an older home or maybe a newer custom home that does not have Mello-Roos. I consider Mello-Roos just another cost of owning a home. Always consider the entire package before purchasing. The San Diego home that has the Mello-Roos tax just may be the best deal for you.

Here are a few things you should know about this term, Mello-Roos. Mello-Roos bonds provide financing for many new San Diego homes communities and their needs. These needs include construction and maintenance of public roads, sewers, water mains, fire stations, public libraries, recreational parks and of course, schools.
The Mello-Roos bond tax is usually added to the annual North County home property tax bills. Most of the bonds have a duration of 20-25 years and can increase up to 2% annually for the entire duration of the bond. Many Mello-Roos bonds can be paid off in full at the time of the originga purchase of the San Diego property . However, because the average San Diego home owner moves every 7 years, it is often prudent to spread the payments over time.
The amount of Mello-Roos Tax that is charged to North County home owner will vary from one CFD to another. Typically, the adopted formula is based on the size of the North County home. That means that the Mello-Roos Tax can be based on either the square footage or the lot size.

To learn more about Mello-Roos, contact Gary Harmon, your Real Living Lifestyles Realtor.

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Filed Under: North County Tagged With: , , , , ,

June 2011 San Diego North County Home Statistics

July 17, 2011 By

The July 2011 HomeDex™ Report provides June 2011 San Diego housing statistics.   Information in this report is used by permission from the North San Diego County Association of Realtors®  (NSDCAR).   Gary Harmon, your Real Living Lifestyles  Realtor, has been a member of NSDCAR for over 20 years.
 
• The median price for all San Diego North County home sales – attached and detached – increased from $380,000 in May 2011 to $386,225 in June 2011.
• San Diego detached homes in North County declined 2.17 percent from $460,000 in May 2011 to $450,000 in June 2011; monthly median prices have fluctuated up and down since January 2011. Year-over median SFD price in North San Diego County homes decreased 6.25 percent from $479,975 in June 2010. This was the largest price fall during a five month trend of year-over price declines.
• The San Diego County median SFD remained steady with a slight 0.53 percent decline, from $380,000 in May 2011 to $378,000 in June 2011, after a 1.3 percent increase last month. Year-over median price decreased about 6.67 percent from June 2010.
• The number of North San Diego homes listings (active and contingent) increased about one percent from May 2011 to June 2011; continuing a trend of monthly increases in listings since January 2011. Listings increased 5.47 percent year-over from June 2010.
• The number of sold North San Diego County SFD units increased 12.25 percent from May 2011 to June 2011, the fourth monthly increase this year.
• Median days-on-market for single-family detached homes in North County increased from 47 days in May 2011 to 49 days in June 2011.

Contact Gary Harmon, to see San Diego North County homes today.

See up to date market statistics provide by Altos Research for Carlsbad homes, Oceanside homes, Vista homes, San Marcos homes, Escondido homes and Encinitas homes.

Filed Under: Market Statistics, North County Tagged With: , , , , ,

Carlsbad Mineral Water – Carlsbad Real Estate History

July 14, 2011 By

As mentioned in an earlier blog, just to the west of my Real Living Lifestyles office is the Ocean House.  To the east of the our Carlsbad Village Faire office is the old Carlsbad railroad station.  Probably the most historic site is one block to the north, the home of Carlsbad Mineral Water.  A plack and statue marks the sp0t. 

In 1882 John A. Frazier chose to settle on a farm in the Carlsbad real estate area and named it Frazier’s Station.  Carlsbad Mineral Water was discovered when he drilled a well for his farm near the beach.  He had dug a well for his water supply, but discovered that the  water cured a stomach ailment from which he had suffered for years.   Intrigued, he sent samples of the water to two independent testing laboratories in New York and Chicago.  The results showed his water was chemically very similar to the water from the famous Sprudel Well Number 9, Karlsbad, Bohemia (now Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic).  To celebrate this fact, the name of the area was changed from Frazier’s Station to Carlsbad, California.

One of San Diego North County’s real estate booms was happening at the time, and Capt. Frazier platted his farm for the new city called Carlsbad, California.  He also started bottling his water and selling it across the nation as (The American) Carlsbad Mineral Water.  He built a huge Victorian hotel beside his original well, and people came from all over the world and included at least two U.S. presidents enjoy the mineral water for drinking and for bathing, just as they would in the European Carlsbad.  Just down the street to the south of the well was one of the famous “Twin Inns”  which is now the Ocean House, another giant piece of Carlsbad Real Estate history.

The real estate boom of the 1880s crashed, but Carlsbad’s mineral water continued to be popular until the Great Depression, when the well was abandoned because the owners lacked the funds for maintenance.

The well was lost until it was rediscovered in 1955 by Kay and “Chris” Christiansen. The Christiansens wanted to restore the well and revive the mineral-water business, but for various reasons they could not do so.  In 1991, Kay met Ludvik Grigoris, who became interested in helping her with her dream. Ludvik had been born in Karlovy Vary, when it was in Czechoslovakia and under Communist rule.

From 1993 to 1995, Ludvik and his wife Veronica worked at restoring and redrilling the well. By this time, Ludvik had been instrumental in forging a sister-city relationship between his birthplace of Karlovy Vary and Carlsbad, Calif. In late 1995, the mayor and city council of Carlsbad, along with an fficial delegation from Karlovy Vary, officiated at the formal re-opening of the Carlsbad Mineral Water Spa. In June 1996, Carlsbad Alkaline Water™ finally, ­after an absence of 60 years, ­once again became available to the public.

I am going to bring me a gallon bottle and two quarters and give it a try.  Drink up, to Carlsbad real estate history.

See Carlsbad real estate and other San Diego North County real estate, contact Gary Harmon, for your best move!

Filed Under: General, North County Tagged With: , , , , ,

Best Time to Invest – San Diego Real Estate

July 14, 2011 By

Don’t Miss Out!

Prices in San Diego North County are low.  Interest rates are low.  Don’t let the poem below describe you.

I hesitate to make a list of all the countless deals I’ve missed;

Bonanzas that were in my grip – I watched them through my fingers slip;

The windfalls which I should have bought, lost because I over thought;

I thought of this, I thought of that, I could have sworn I smelled a rat;

As I thought things over twice, another grabbed them at the price;

It seems I always hesitate, then make my mind up much too late;

A very cautious person I, and that is why I never buy;

At times a tear drowns my eye for all the deals I let pass by;

And now life’s saddest words I pen – If only I’d invested then!

                              Author Unknown

Don’t sit on the sideline in the great San Diego North County real estate market.  Contact Gary Harmon, your North County Realtor.  Let Gary’s 22 years of experience help you get the next great real estate deal.  See  “Homes are currently 24% under priced.”

[idx-listings city=”San Diego” minprice=”300000″ propertytypes=”335″ orderby=”Price” orderdir=”ASC” count=”25″ showlargerphotos=”true”]

Filed Under: North County Tagged With: , , , ,

History – Carlsbad Real Estate

July 12, 2011 By

This is the second in my series about Carlsbad real estate history.  If you missed it, the first was Twin Inns – Ocean House.  Behind Carlsbad Village Faire to the east is the original Carlsbad train station.  I see it everyday as I walk around the Faire.  Walked over last week and took the photo below.  The original station is now a Carlsbad information center.  This original Carlsbad station still exist in its original location at State and Elm Streets.  It is one of the train stations that remains trackside in close proximity to the newer station Carlsbad Village Station.

The end of line is downtown San Diego and the historic Sante Fe Train Depot. The depot was originally built in 1887 and replaced in 1915 in the Spanish Revival style of architecture. Like many buildings in San Diego, it was rebuilt to prepare for the Panama Pacific Exposition. It, too, was in a precarious situation in 1971 when the depot was faced with the ugly prospect of demolition. Preservationists, citizens and anyone with a one-track mind to save the old depot, delivered the message that any idea of destroying the building was an idea careening down the wrong track. Attempts to destroy this San Diego treasure were thwarted and the building rolled right into the National Historic Register in 1972. Touchdown for those who worked hard to save it. Sante Fe is at Kettner and Broadway in downtown San Diego.

If you want to engineer a fun day trip, hop on Amtrak or even the Coaster train and ride the rails up to Carlsbad or Oceanside from the historic Santa Fe Depot in downtown San Diego. You won’t be able to see Encinitas from the train, but you’ll see Santa Fe, Del Mar, and Carlsbad stations.

Trains and train stations conjure up all sorts of nostalgic and romantic images. Train stations have been places to both welcome home loved ones or to say goodbye. Train stations dot the landscape of towns and cities that we often never venture out to explore, but somehow, passing through them, we get a sense that we’ve been somewhere. Trains take us to more than train stations. Visit one of the train stations and consider taking a train ride. We can’t afford to lose the magic of train travel. All aboard!

To get Carlsbad real estate information, contact Gary Harmon, your Carlsbad Realtor.

Filed Under: North County Tagged With: , , ,

Carlsbad Real Estate History

July 12, 2011 By

Ocean House – Twin Inns

My Real Living Lifestyles real estate office is located in Carlsbad Village Faire at the corner of Carlsbad Village Drive and Carlsbad Boulebard, suite 223.    Looking out of my desk window, I look directly at the Ocean House.  Since it is such an intresting building, I decided to do a little research on its history and the following is what I found.  See article under photo. 


This beautiful building at the corner of what was Elm and old 101 is the anchor of all Carlsbad landmarks.  This beautiful old Victorian mansion that I gaze at out of my office window towards is now the home to offices and the Ocean House resturant.  It has a celebrated past and for decades was the hub of the entire Carlsbad real estate area activity. 

In 1883 John A. Frazier chose to settle in the Carlsbad home area, named it Frazier’s Station.  The German immigrant was not interested in being the city’s founding father, but rather saw the Carlsbad real estate area as an investment opportunity.  He dug a well for his water supply. Analysis of the deep (over 400 feet) well water showed it to be nearly identical to the water from the famous Sprudel Well Number 9, Karlsbad, Bohemia (now Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic).  To celebrate this fact, the name of the area was changed from Frazier’s Station to Carlsbad, California.

Promotion of the Carlsbad real estate area was begun by the California Southern Railway (Santa Fe), and by the Carlsbad Land and Water Company. A large hotel was erected near the well, and railway waiting rooms across the country featured posters of the new Carlsbad Spa and its miraculous waters.

In 1887, the president of the Carlsbad Land company, Gerhard Schutte, erected a large Carlsbad home nearby, and his business partner, D. D. Wadsworth, built a mirror image of the president’s house on the same block 200 feet to the north. The two Carlsbad homes, visible for miles across the coastal plain, became landmarks in the Carlsbad real estate area.  The Wadsworth house was torn down in 1950.  The 1890’s saw droughts and recession and many of the Carlsbad Land and Mineral Water Co. principals moved south to San Diego.

About the turn of the century the land boom was over. The original Carlsbad Hotel, a giant five-story wooden structure with a rooftop gazebo located further inland, had burned to the ground. Within a few years the Carlsbad Land and Water Company was reorganized. 

The Carlsbad homes were leased for commercial purposes, and were now renting rooms and serving meals.  They later became owned and operated by Mesdames Whiting and Reedy, who established many traditions such as the Blue Willow China, buffet and Sunday brunch family-style service, and the name “Twin Inns.” The Carlsbad area was still being promoted, but now by the South Coast Land Company as the Avocado Capitol of the World!

In 1918 Baron Long closed his famous Ship Cafe on the canal in Venice, California. His specialty chef, Eddie Kentner, drove south seeking a likely place to relocate. Attracted to the Twin Inns, he acquired the business on November 5, 1919.  He and his wife, Neva, took over the matching houses.  Travel between Los Angeles and San Diego North County by automobile was arduous in the 1920s.  The Twin Inns soon became a favorite stopping place for travelers, enhanced, perhaps, by Mr. Kentner’s willingness to prepare meals at all hours of the night for “victims” of the automobile technology of the ’20s. Prohibition drove many fun-seekers south, attracted to Baron Long’s newest venture, which he built south of the border, the Caliente Race Track and Gambling Spa in Tijuana.

The increased traffic made it necessary to enlarge the Twin Inns. The Rotunda Salon was added in 1922. In 1936 the lobby and front rooms were remodeled to provide more space. By 1950 the combination of increased business and local street widening projects had made parking a major problem. The old Wadsworth House was razed to provide parking in what is now the north lot. In February 1961, Art and D.D. Morgan, son-in-law Eddie Kentner, Sr., took over the management of the family restaurant. They were succeeded in November 1969, by Bonnie and Eddie Kentner, Jr. In April 1984 the Kentner family sold the historic Twin Inns building and all its land. The new owners changed the name from the Twin Inns to Neimans upon completion of an extensive restoration in 1985, which included a stage and live entertainment.

The new and present owner acquired Neimans in 2004. Another extensive renovation was completed in November with a decor uplift to Southern California tropical and beach influenced. The elegant old Victorian mansion is now called Ocean House, and is ready to offer a second hundred years of fine dining and service to San Diego’s North County.  There have always been rumors that the Twin Inns (Ocean House) was a haunted mansion with aits trap-door tower and secret room.  I think I will keep my window locked.

To see Carlsbad homes or other San Diego North County real estate, contact Gary Harmon, your Real Living Lifestyles Realtor.

Filed Under: North County Tagged With: , , , ,

What is a Short Sale?

July 11, 2011 By

Short Sale (definition) = A sale where your lender (or lenders) agree to accept less than they are due (total loans outstanding) on the sale of your San Diego North County home. In other words, the proceeds from the transaction will not generate enough money to payoff the existing loan and closing cost.  Short Sales usually occur in a real estate market where the actual value of your San Diego home has dropped below the outstanding loan balances against the North County home.  Convincing your lender to reduce its loan balance to close the sale is often challenging and requires the skills of a proven, seasoned San Diego North County real estate agent. 

Gary is a seasoned agent that can help you with a Short Sale.  Contact Gary Harmon, your short sale expert  today!   Get a summary of  “Short Sale Basics.”  Find out  “How to Qualify for a Short Sale.”  Find, “What are the Advantages of a Short Sale.”  And see “Short Sale Supporting Documentation” a lender may need.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Short Sale Expert in Oceanside

July 10, 2011 By

Are you considering a short sale in Oceanside?  Check out these short sale videos.  Are you upside down on your Oceanside home? Are you having difficulty making your payments or struggling with cash flow?  We have helped hundreds of clients in the past 21 years with their North County real estate needs; foreclosure properties, short sales, estate/probate, relocation, and of course traditional sales. The Hadley Home Team has a proven track record of successfully closing short sales. We at the Hadley Home Team  have worked many distressed Oceanside homeowners, sellers, buyers, and investors. All negotiation is done in house amongst our team. We do not outsource our files to 3rd parties.

The internet has created an incredible opportunity to market to a vast amount of people in a time effective and inexpensive manner. The National Association of Realtors and others have done studies which indicate 85% of prospective homeowners start their search on the internet. With a compilation of experience and technology we employ multiple channels to market your home.

As a San Diego North County Short Sale Specialist we are often able to find a buyer quickly for your home through our vast Realtor contacts. Additionally we market your listing with Realtor.com, our search engine optimized web sites, just about every San Diego MLS compliant website, and the following real estate portals:

Thinking of doing a short sale of your Oceanside home, c0ntact Gary Harmon, your Hadley Home Team short sale expert in Oceanside.

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